Back to School 2014: PCSO Reminder on Safe Driving Around Buses

With Paulding County Schools starting classes Monday, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office is reminding drivers to remain alert when driving in school zones or adjacent to school buses to ensure the safety of our children.

Paulding County Sheriff Gary Gulledge said deputies will be patrolling school zones as part of their daily operations and that they will also be watching for drivers who fail to stop for school buses that are loading or unloading passengers.

Sheriff Gulledge said Georgia Law requires motorists to stop in both directions for school buses that are displaying flashing red lights and have the stop arm activated (except for on controlled access highways or when the highway is divided into separate roadways).

After stopping, you may proceed only after the school bus resumes motion or the flashing red lights are no longer activated.

Deputies with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.) unit urge drivers to use extreme care and leave more space when traveling around a school bus, especially when following one.

“Driver’s who are following school buses too closely are not prepared for the frequent stops made by the school bus,” Gulledge said in a press release. “Drivers should always use extreme caution when following school buses and obey the posted speed limits in the school zones.”

The majority of fatal crashes involving school buses occurred when the school bus was struck by a smaller passenger vehicle. Gulledge said, “…a conviction for unlawfully passing a school bus carries six points on your driving record as well as a six-month suspension of your driver’s license for drivers under the age of 21.”

Gulledge also reminds drivers to be alert for children waiting for the school bus, especially during the early morning hours when visibility is reduced. “Children are not always aware of their surroundings or vehicles that may be passing by and the dangers that they pose,” he said. “Drivers should be prepared to stop when approaching children that are waiting for a school bus.”

— Paulding County Sheriff’s Office press release